About This Course
This course (ENWR 1510) emphasizes material research and writing methods, including bibliographic, field, and empirical techniques. Students study draft and published material by prominent science writers and employ a combination of scientific and humanities research and writing approaches, with the goal of creating original research projects that prioritize substance and aim for elegance.
The course begins with an escape-room style analysis unit. Instead of a traditional textbook, I have worked with US and international archives to design a collection of materials that includes draft material by published scientists. During class time, students receive several master envelopes, each containing additional smaller envelopes. Each master envelope contains draft material from one particular scientist-author, and each nested envelope contains handwritten notes, article/chapter drafts, correspondence, and photographs.
The student’s task is to read carefully to identify their respective authors; each nested envelope contains increasingly obvious clues. Students have 1 week to solve their challenges. Once a student identifies at least 2 of their 3 authors, they text me, and upon seeing the correct solution, I text them back with a hidden URL and password, which takes them to a full archive web page, with more information and material for each of their authors. We spend this unit studying writing and revision processes, and students ultimately write a paper analyzing the process of 1-3 of their authors.
Once students complete Unit I investigating others’ archives, they spend the rest of the term conducting independent mixed-methods research and creating their own research projects. They collect their own draft and related materials and store them in their course boxes, effectively creating their own archives by the end of the term.
Throughout the term, students work through the stages of designing research questions, reading previous related publications, conducting field research, presenting on what they’ve gathered, and then drafting and revising an essay communicating their material to the audience of their choice. We cover the basics of crafting a strong thesis, writing to specific audiences and situations, organizing and developing ideas, and polishing up foundational style issues.